Thursday, February 04, 2010

25 More!

I think I'm slipping already. I get later and later every day! Here I am, though, after at least a half of a yoga workout and at least a bit more nutritious breakfast and some work done.

First of all, I have to let you know that we got a plug on the home page of PNOLA, one of the organizations we support. Look here and scroll down a bit and you'll see the green and purple. Isn't that nice? Yeah, I know they got my name wrong. Small mixup, but who cares? It was so nice! Twice a year we send all of our profits from the Big Easy Blanket to PNOLA. When you buy one, you're helping us give to them. So get one! It's fun to knit, too. Just ask Sonya. She knit up a big red one recently!

Second of all, I have to brag on my fantastic testing and knitting pool. I put the cry for help out Tuesday morning and within a couple of hours, I had all my tests assigned. Thanks Betsy, Shirley, Sue, Stormy, and Terri! These are all tests for the new stuff coming, so we're on our way! Now all I have to do is finish the drafts.....

Yeah, so I have to get busy writing. Usually when I come up with an idea for a design, I figure out which stitch patterns will be included (will it be one of the ones I've earmarked in a stitch dictionary, will it be one I've just made up on the fly, or a combination of those?) and that depends on yarn, fabric, structure, etc. No matter the other variables, I usually chart it out. I'm a largely visual thinker, so I have to see it on a chart before I know it works. For that reason, I now have a bunch of charts and a bunch of notes for six new designs. Now to translate all of that into some kind of readable and workable draft for these test-hungry knitters and crocheters.

Kelli, my lifesaver who comes in two mornings a week and helps me call customers and sleeve up patterns and fill orders, is doing a test for me right now. She said the nicest thing today. She said that she was enjoying testing the pattern because it made her feel like there was a purpose to it. Boy howdy, is there! I could not do what I do without these wonderful testers.

I'd better make this short today and get back to work. If you have stopped by to see if I'm keeping it up, or if you just happened to stop by accidentally, give us a comment. We love comments!

2 comments:

Whatever's happening, I'm very interested :) In my last comment, I said I loved and wanted to knit Shredder, but surprise - I'm knitting Fionn. I should have a progress picture this weekend; it's a lovely pattern!